More Than A Memory
by thescientistwrangler
Summary: Post-Movie. Odd occurrences in the house leads to the Williams questioning Sarah's sanity. Now after 12 years of being in a Sanitarium, Sarah is home for the Holidays. Toby has a plan to save his sister, but when all goes awry what can the Goblin King do?


**More Than A Memory**

**Icedragongurl**

**I don't own anything involved with this pop culture icon.**

**Jareth/Sarah**

**Rated T**

**Chapter One  
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_**Yes you're so much more**_

_**Than a memory**_

_**So don't close the door**_

_**On what still can be**_

_**'Cause you're so much more**_

_**Than a memory**_

_**Hoobastank**_

_ She'd wanted to call for him…such simple words to make it all just disappear. The sterile halls that seemed never-ending. The beings garbed in white, that delivered concoctions that kept her mind trapped within continuous fog. The white room with no way to escape, no connection to the outside world. Perhaps this was what it was like to suffocate emotionally… it was all because of one silly dream. _

_ Had it been a dream? Just her childish imagination run amok? Was _he _just a figment of her reckless mind? The beings in white kept telling her that was what it all had been…just her untamed thoughts. She was to stop talking of such ridiculous things, that was the very reason _they_ had sent her to this place. Claiming ignorance to why her stepmothers jewelry kept going missing. Blamed for the glitter and feathers that would randomly coat entire rooms of the house. _

_ Finally, those that should have trusted her, sent her away. To this unending torment, she had tried to escape the drugs that were practically forced down her throat. Soon, the shadows disappeared. No longer did she see little creatures scurrying about in the gardens. That charge which had tingled upon her flesh from leaving _that_ place…seemed to have faded altogether. Wait…what place? Her mind fell downwards into the deep murky pit of oblivion. Who did she want? _

_ No one…that was right… she wanted no one. Just peace…numbing familiar peace. One of the beings placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder, giving her a warm smile. It was time to return to her prison once more, the free few sparse moments in the private garden was over. As she followed after her caretaker in white, she noticed a barn owl…was that what it was? It sat upon a branch, and watched her with such sad little eyes…As the door closed behind her, she could only wonder to herself…if the creature had had mismatched irises._

"It's been ten fucking years! Let her at least come home for Christmas!" Toby demanded, now a sophomore in high school. His mother gave him an appalled look at the language the boy used. Her brows furrowed as she returned to stringing up Christmas lights in the living room, the woman spoke curtly,

"You know that it would be dangerous to take her out of that environment. It's been having a healing effect. This is what's best for…" Karen was interrupted by her husband. Having overheard the conversation, he struggled with the large box of decoration for the front of the house.

"He does have a point. It just hasn't been the same. A week or so won't be such a horrible idea. We'd just have to make sure that she keeps to her regular doses of medication." Toby grinned with excitement, his dad always had final say when it came to these sort of things. Even as his parents began to 'discuss' the pros and cons to this decision… he knew. At long last, his big sister was going to come home!

As he closed the door to the long abandoned bedroom behind him, Toby smiled mischievously at the large vanity mirror. All his planning had finally paid off. Once Sarah was back in this house, he'd see to it that she never went back to that hell hole again! The sound of raucous laughter could be heard from the other side of the reflecting glass. His big sis had once gone through insane lengths to save him from certain destruction…now it was his turn to return the favor. Nothing for nothing tra la la.

_ How long had she been here? Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months…years? Perhaps it had been an eternity and she had no idea. Though the young male that stood before her now, was proof that time had indeed slipped past. No more was it baby brother, now it was youthful man. Holding her hand, leading her out into a place foreign to her senses. The two that claimed to be her parents…were shunned. Even in a drugged haze… she knew that they'd betrayed her. _

_ The car ride had been long, she'd rested her head upon the boys shoulder and slept. Exhaustion had long since been her only company, for Father Sleep was not picky. No longer did she dream though, what had once been her respite from reality…was now nothing but black. It felt as if she'd simply gone comatose, or perhaps died altogether. A gentle nudge upon her shoulder jostled her from the slumber. When her brown eyes fluttered open, she took in the sight of what…looked like…sadness, on the boys face._

_ Carefully he helped her out of the car, and she stared at the building before her. Something buried so far down in the fog of her mind, screamed that she knew this place. Except, it was too tiring to try and drag the information up. Instead, she allowed her brother to lead her into what he kept calling 'home'. Was that what this was? When she verbalized this question, the three stared at her with wide eyes. Had she said something wrong? A slight jab of some foreign emotion pierced her heart, where they going to make her endure those _sessions_ again! Unconsciously her hand reached out shakily to grasp the boys sleeve fearfully._

_ Her father gave her a solemn smile, she couldn't help but wonder when he'd gotten so old? The last clear image she could draw forth was one of him dropping her off to…was it…school? As she was guided into the _house_ her head throbbed painfully at blurred images. There was something that drew her in as if it were some sort of embrace. A murmur of her brothers name in an almost pleading tone alerted her family to the discomfort. Karen suggested the boy take her to her room, so she could rest after such a long drive._

_ Had it really been that long? She whispered as the two of them slowly went up the staircase. Toby seemed perturbed, he told her that they'd been on the road for almost two hours. Really? How odd, she'd assumed that it had been only a handful of minutes. What did it matter? Nothing whatsoever…she let her mind ease back into the simple emptiness. After all, it was so much easier to handle. Just as she was settling into the thick fog, her brother opened the door to the room she was to sleep in. Her head throbbed once more, but it was even worse then before. _

_ Nothing had been touched. Or had it? She couldn't get a single clear thought through, and it made her want to scream in frustration. As if sensing her agitation, Toby led her over to her bed. The linen was different, not that she could recall what it had been before. At least there were colors, so many vibrant shades…much better then the constant white. Her brother sat her upon the bed, and then said that he was going to go grab her bag, While he was gone, she shifted herself into a lying position; staring up at the stars that littered the ceiling. _

_ Her elbow jostled something soft, upon further exploration, she discovered that it was one of her old teddy bears. What had the name been? It was dancing there…on the tip of tongue. Flitting just out of reach, just like so many other things…As she examined the toy with a certain sort of… fondness, her brother returned with the small backpack that held her few belongings. The beings in white did not allow personal objects. Which was why most of her items were still in this room._

_ Upon seeing the teddy in her hands, Toby had grinned sheepishly. He then told her that he thought she'd like to have Lancelot waiting to greet her when she finally came home. Brown eyes blinked blankly at him, what did he say the things name was….Lan-Lancelot? She looked back at the stuffed animal. Lancelot. Instead of continuing to struggle with her mind, she let her body collapse limply. Before burrowing underneath the, already loose, blankets and letting out a soft sigh. _

_ Sleep, that was the preferable state to fall back to. Anything was better then the sharp pain that was digging viciously at her brain. Quietly she muttered a soft apology to Toby for passing out on him. As she fell into the familiar arms of Father Sleep, the sensation of a chaste kiss on the top of head brought a fond smile to her lips. It was good to be with someone that cared, someone that she could trust. As slumber dragged her past the point of return, she briefly wondered where the smell of peaches had come from…_

Toby was startled by the sudden appearance of the Goblin King. The last time the boy had seen such darkness on his companions face, was when Sarah had been sent away. It was almost as if his rage was charging the very air around them. Toby couldn't help but shift awkwardly, as Jareth crossed the room in quick yet elegant strides. Honestly, why couldn't the King just wear a normal pair of pants? Not ones that showed the royal treasury! The boy felt as if he was intruding on something he really shouldn't have been.

As the fey reached out to touch Sarah's cheek, there was a sharp sizzling sound. It reminded Toby of what bacon sounding like when placed on the frying pan. Jareth yanked his hand back with a scowl, the tip of his gloves were singed off completely and the fingers were a painful pink. The boy gasped in horror,

"What happened? Why can't you touch her? You have to! Take her away from here! You promised me!" The shadows in the royalties eyes grew more lethal by the passing second. At long last, here was the moment he'd been yearning for. The chance to save his champion from the foolishness that her pathetic excuses for parents had submitted her to. If he did not figure out a way to get her free before she was dragged back to where he could not help her…a shudder ran through his body.

It simply could not happen. He would not allow it! Toby continued with his demands, and it was only fanning the anger of the Goblin King. Until the fae finally snarled sharply at the boy,

"You think I do not want what you do Tobias! If I could steal her away then I'd have already done it! There is something that repels my magic. It keeps her from dreams, memories, wishes…and if she cannot access any of these, then there is nothing I can do." Toby's brows furrowed, then there was only one way to go about this. They had to get her off the medication that the institute had forced on her. The only thing was…how bad would the aftereffects be? When he looked over at Jareth to suggest his idea, Toby noticed the way the Fae watched the girl. So much pain, and sorrow that it looked as if the King was drowning.

"Uh…hey…I'm just gonna… yeah…" Toby stuttered before evacuating the room entirely, shutting the door as he left. This was so, not something he wanted to have to watch. He'd always known the Goblin King had had a _major_ thing for Sarah. Never realized just how bad it must have been for Jareth throughout the past ten years. Poor fellow, he wandered down the stairs to let his parents know not to bother Sarah for a little while.

Why hadn't she just accept what he'd offered so long ago? Then neither of them would have had to suffer like this. So close yet still so damned far away. After twelve years of watching over the girl, locked away like some fair maiden in her ivory tower, he'd been forced to bear witness to the suffering. At first she'd fought, just he had remembered her in his Labyrinth. Determined not to fall prey to the _healers_ with their potions intended to blur the mind. Those snakes were crueler then even he, the Goblin King, they began to drug her food.

When she caught on to their little game, Sarah had stopped eating or drinking anything they brought to her. They then dared to restrain her small body and shove it down her throat. If the bloody building hadn't been lined with confounded iron, he'd have bogged all of those fools. Daring to harm his Sarah, no one touches that which belongs to the King of the Goblins.

Now she is not even a shadow of her former self, when he reached out once more for her unconscious form…the heat of the unnatural barrier burned his flesh. The only human he dared deem precious, it was impossible for him to steal her away from this cruel existence now. He could do nothing but watch as she was forced to suffer.. If he tried to find a way to force her to the other realm, it was possible the barrier would infect his entire kingdom. That was something he could not, would not dare try.

"Ah, precious thing…how cruel this world has been to you. If only you'd taken all that I had tried to give you. If I have any say, we will have eternity to make up for the ten years lost. Once this ridiculousness is dealt with. I will save you Sarah dearest, I swear it." He whispered only inches from her ear, Sarah murmured something incoherent in response. When the sound of footsteps upon the staircase caught his attention, Jareth lay a single hand upon one of the stuffed animals beside her. Then he vanished in a cloud of surprisingly minimal glitter.

"Sarah, sweetheart… are you alright?" Her father cracked open the door slightly, to peek in. His princess was fast asleep, and content. At least he hoped she was, it hadn't been his complete decision to send her away. The therapists recommended it, and Karen had been insistent of it. The only reason he hadn't gone to visit throughout the past ten years, was that he wouldn't have been able to handle seeing her like that. It was killing him, but he had to endure it.

This was what was best for her. It was helping her get better, was the lie he kept telling himself. Except, after the way she'd asked if this was 'home'…he'd started to doubt the choice. This was his baby girl, no longer a little girl. Now a full grown woman, with no experiences with life. His conscience was screaming at him that this was all his fault. Silently, he crossed the room to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

As he pulled away to leave her be, his hand brushed against something soft. Upon closer inspection, it was a stuffed animal…a white barn owl. With big cute eyes, that were two different colors. How odd? Must have been a mistake in production, well either way. He tucked the toy into her arms, and Sarah sighed peacefully with a small smile. Maybe his little girl would be okay after all.

As he left the room, he could only wonder for a split second…where had that toy come from?

**TBC**

**Toby has an attack plan all laid out. Jareth is a more than willing participant… but what might be the result for Sarah? Will she be able to survive the trials to come?**


End file.
